We are seeking for a candidate (ideally fresh out of MSc in electronic design) for preparing a fully funded PhD in microprocessor design with an emphasis on security. While no prior knowledge of cryptography as such is required, the candidate must have a solid knowledge of HDL design (e.g. VHDL or Verilog) with an ideal prior experience in FPGA prototyping or microprocessor customization.

A PhD position will be available at the Hubert Curien Laboratory, Saint-Etienne, in Secure hardware implementations of code-based cryptosystems. With a 3 years duration, the PhD is expected to start by the end of summer 2012. The PhD student will conduct his research in the two following fields:

code-based public-key and private-key cryptography,

secure implementations of cryptosystems with respect to side-channel analysis and countermeasures.

This research will be funded by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (MENRT). The PhD student must have a strong background in cryptography and at least a basic knowledge in digital hardware design. The research will be conducted in the Hubert Curien Laboratory in a close collaboration with the CASED (Center for Advanced Security Research Darmstadt) in Germany.

Applications are welcome from university graduates in mathematics, computer science, electronics, micro-electronics or information security. Successful applicants must show outstanding grades and have finished their master thesis on a topic related to the mentioned research areas. Applications can be sent by email to Pierre-Louis Cayrel (pierre.louis.cayrel (at) univ-st-etienne.fr) and Viktor Fischer (fischer (at) univ-st-etienne.fr) in one PDF document, containing a CV, a copy of academic transcripts, a short statement of motivation (incl. description of prior activities in the relevant areas), and one reference letter or a letter of recommendation. Applications will be processed until the position is filled.

Applications are invited for post-doctoral researchers to contribute to the research activity of the data security systems research group within the Centre for Secure Information Technology (CSIT: www.csit.qub.ac.uk) at Queen’s University Belfast. Two positions are available: one to conduct research into physical unclonable functions (PUFs) – investigate new PUF constructions, design, implement and test new PUF hardware architectures, investigate PUF-based authentication protocols; and one to carry out research into cyber-security modelling software technologies, techniques and visualisation to facilitate formal verification, design, simulation and mathematical proof of security models, architectures, protocols and algorithms.

Applicants must hold a 2.1 Honours Degree (or equivalent) in Electrical and Electronic Engineering/Computer Science/Mathematics or a related discipline and hold, or be about to obtain, a PhD in a relevant subject.